What
do I love about Houston…? One might expect this to be written by one of
the Houston host
committee instead of a foreigner in DC, but as one of the many “ARLIS
Texas-Exes” – members of the Texas-Mexico Chapter of ARLIS/NA who
have gone to positions in other parts of the country; I was delighted to be
asked to share my deep affection for Houston.
I
worked at the Museum of
Fine Arts, Houston
for almost seven and a half years, beginning in 1985. Like many who come to Houston
from the East, I was puzzled by the city for months. Houston,
as I discovered, is a town where it is useful having a ‘native’
guide show (or tell!) you the beautiful or offbeat sites that make it unique. Many
friendly Houstonians gave generously of their time to insure that I experienced
as much of the city as I could. I bet you will encounter a stranger who will
happily guide you to a favorite spot of theirs.
Houston
lacks a lot of the pretension that is stereotypical of much of Texas.
The phrase “World Class” is insecurely attached to many of the
city’s educational, recreational, and cultural amenities, but often by
newcomers. You will not find a better survey of Surrealist art outside of Paris
than at the Menil Collection. Some of the most cutting edge opera productions in
the United States
are conceived at the Houston Grand Opera. The city ranks second in the country
for the number of theatre seats and is the third largest art market after New
York and Los Angeles. Houston’s
prestigious Medical Center
is recognized as one of the leading research and clinical treatment facilities in
the world. A native Houston
would know all of this and be quite proud, but would only boast of it when
pressed.
Houston
is often best experienced through its contradictions. It is attending a Puccini
opera one night and dancing to Zydeco the next. It is gaining inner peace at
the austere and elegant Rothko Chapel in the morning and experiencing the zany
excitement of the Orange Show in the afternoon. It is devouring a plate of incredible
(and cheap) tamales at the down home La Mexicana on Montrose Boulevard for
lunch and savoring the inventive (and expensive) cuisine of Café Annie for
dinner. It is being visually assaulted by ugliness of strip malls that line the
roads as one enters the city only to be visually restored by the cathedral-like
splendor of the live oaks that line the boulevards in the Museum District.
My
example of the city’s diversity as observed at Vietnamese restaurant,
which alas is no more. This place was in an industrial neighborhood close to downtown
and was a most unattractive, cavernous structure (By the way, Houston
has the largest population of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam).
Illuminated by the glare of too many pink florescent light fixtures were row
upon row of tables, filled with college students and their professors, bikers,
construction workers, medical staff from a nearby hospital, and socialites
dressed to the nines. It would not be inconceivable to guess that seated at the
table next to the stylish matron was the crew that mowed her lawn that morning.
If you make the best spring rolls in
town, Houstonians regardless of their social demographic, will beat a path to
your table.
Houstonians
work hard and play just as hard. Parks are full of joggers, music streams from
night clubs for every taste, and theatre and concert hall seats are full. Given
the physical size of the city, you may have to work a bit harder to capture its
essence – both high and low, but your efforts will be rewarded with a
unique experience that will encourage you to explore.
While
the conference organizers want you to take advantage of the incredible program
that they have assembled, I think you ought to ditch at least one session or meeting
and just explore. Rent a car and drive to the Williams
Tower (formerly Transco) out by the
Galleria. Visit the amazing fountain on their grounds before heading towards
the retail splendor of the dazzling Galleria. Drive through the Heights to see
the restored Victorian houses or the Craftsman bungalows that make this one of
the most charming neighborhoods in town. Walk through Philip
Johnson’s University
of St. Thomas campus, ending your
tour at his recent Chapel of St. Basil. Head to the Museum
of Fine Arts and experience the
elegance of Mies van der
Rohe’s design of the Weiss building from both
inside and out. Find the West Alabama Ice House and have a beer with your
buddies. It will be great!
My
favorite thing to do when I return to visit is to stroll around the Menil
Collection, then walk around the neighborhood until I end up at the Rothko Chapel.
I have a particular spot that I like to sit and contemplate life while I study Barnett
Newman’s “Broken Obelisk”
that sits in a reflecting pool in front of the Chapel. It is a serene
experience that I have rarely been able to replicate. If you can’t find
me in a session or an exhibit hall, you know where I will be. I’ll save
you a seat.
Gregory P. J. Most
Chief, Library
Image Collections
National Gallery
of Art
Washington, DC 20565
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
URL: http://www.nga.gov/resources/dlidesc.shtm
phone: 202/ 842-6100